Old Mill is situated on the right riverbank of Čikola, approximately 150 meters downstream from the Čikola bridge, at the entrance to the town of Drniš. According to historical sources, it was built in the Middle Ages, and it was probably initially owned by Croatian noble families.
By its wheel orientation, the mill can be classified as a horizontal wheel mill with paddles. This type is also known as the Greek mill since it was invented in ancient Greece and Norse mill as it remained longest in use in Scandinavia. Such mills were built in places with limited water supplies caused by seasonal changes of watercourse.
The watermill is built of stone. The foundation wall alongside the riverbed is constructed from larger stone blocks in order to ensure the structure’s stability, while the remaining walls are built from smaller cut stones. The ground-floor walls are 70 cm thick, and the first-floor walls are 65 cm thick. The mill’s west wall is leaning against a cliff. The gable roof was originally covered with stone slates and later with terracotta tiles.
The first floor most probably served as living space for the miller. The communication between the two floors is provided by a wooden staircase. The doors on the first floor were used to access the sluice. The Old Mill had four millstones. Over each millstone there were wooden hoppers in the shape of an inverted pyramid, into which grain was poured. The water used to power the mill came through the main race called headrace, from where it was directed through tailraces to wheel turbines.
Due to its age, building quality, position and environmental value, the Old Mill has been designated as a cultural heritage.
